Case Study // Engineering Partnership
From Engineering to Execution: A Partnership Built on Trust
At a Glance
Engineering Partner
Palmetto Engineering
Construction Partner
ElectriCom
Industry
Broadband and telecommunications infrastructure
Relationship
David Webb - nearly 3 decades
Project Types
Fiber rings, fiber-to-the-home networks and long-haul fiber construction
Geographic Reach
Multiple states, including Indiana and Alabama
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The Challenge
Successful broadband infrastructure projects require more than strong engineering or capable construction crews. They depend on close coordination between the teams responsible for designing the network and those building it in the field.
Miscommunication during the handoff from engineering to construction can create delays, constructability issues, documentation gaps and unexpected costs. When challenges arise, clients need partners who will communicate openly, accept responsibility and work together to find a solution.
Palmetto Engineering needed a construction partner it could trust across different clients, project conditions and geographic markets—not simply when work proceeded as planned, but when difficult circumstances tested the project team.
The Partnership
The relationship between Palmetto Engineering and ElectriCom began in southern Indiana in the late 1990s. David Webb, now President of Palmetto Engineering’s Western Region, was beginning his telecommunications career when he helped engineer an approximately 50-mile fiber ring for Daviess-Martin Rural Telephone Corporation. ElectriCom was later selected to construct another fiber ring for the same client in Martin and Lawrence counties.
The first project was not without challenges. Webb was relatively new to the industry, and communication between the engineering and construction teams needed improvement. ElectriCom’s response helped establish the foundation for the relationship. ‘When Kevin Mason called me, here I was—a 25-year-old inspector on a project—and I had the president of ElectriCom asking, “What are we doing wrong, and what can we do better?” That left a pretty big impression on me.’
ElectriCom established clearer communication channels and involved experienced leadership in the relationship. Rather than allowing early difficulties to define the partnership, the two organizations used them to develop a more effective way of working together.
The Approach
Establishing Direct Communication
Palmetto Engineering and ElectriCom developed relationships at every level of their organizations, including field supervisors, project managers, administrative personnel and company leadership. This direct access allowed the teams to address field questions quickly, work through design and construction issues together and keep the client’s interests at the center of project decisions.
Building Consistency Through Recurring Work
Following the initial fiber projects, Daviess-Martin RTC established a recurring construction program. Palmetto Engineering developed each new phase, and ElectriCom completed the construction work during the spring and summer. Webb continued serving the client from the late 1990s through 2015 and estimates that ElectriCom was involved in some capacity during approximately 90% of that period. The recurring work gave both teams a deeper understanding of one another’s expectations, processes and standards. That familiarity helped reduce friction between engineering and construction and created greater continuity for the client.
Taking Ownership When Challenges Arise
For Webb, a contractor’s value is not measured solely by how it performs when everything goes according to plan. The more important test is how the company responds when something goes wrong. “I don’t look only at how well a contractor can perform. I look at what they do to fix it when something does go bad.”
On one Alabama project, unexpected rock-boring complications created significant challenges. ElectriCom’s leadership traveled to the project, accepted responsibility for the situation and worked with the project team to correct it. “The way Andy and Scotty came down, owned the situation and worked to fix it—that meant more to the client than the mistake itself.”
That willingness to engage directly and stand behind the work reinforced the trust between Palmetto Engineering, ElectriCom and the client.
Connecting Engineering and Construction Earlier
As Palmetto discusses new opportunities with clients, it can introduce ElectriCom as part of a coordinated turnkey solution. Bringing engineering and construction together earlier can help the project team:
Identify constructability concerns before work begins
Reduce delays during the handoff to construction
Develop more realistic schedules
Improve communication between the field and design teams
Give the client a more unified project experience
“We have a good list of contractors we can work with when a client wants a turnkey solution. We already know ElectriCom is in our wheelhouse to help us through that.”
Improving Digital Project Coordination
Palmetto Engineering is increasingly using GIS-based designs and field applications to support paperless engineering, inspection and construction-unit collection. ElectriCom has supported that transition by adopting new technology and providing practical field feedback.
During an Alabama project, ElectriCom helped Palmetto evaluate an iPad-based workflow for inspection and unit collection. “The adoption by ElectriCom of GIS is a big deal. We are both trying to do a good job for the client in the fastest and most efficient way possible.”
Webb also identified ElectriCom’s invoicing and construction-unit documentation as a consistent strength. Clear, organized documentation makes it easier for engineering teams and clients to review quantities, reconcile completed work and process payment. “I’ve looked at other processes and asked, ‘Why can’t you just do it like ElectriCom does it?’”
The Results
The relationship has produced more than a series of completed projects. It has created a repeatable partnership model that helps both organizations serve clients more effectively. Key outcomes include:
A working relationship spanning nearly three decades
Recurring construction support for a long-term rural telecommunications client
Better coordination between engineering and field construction
Earlier identification of constructability and scheduling concerns
Adoption of GIS-based project workflows
Consistent invoicing and construction-unit documentation
Mutual client referrals and shared business-development opportunities
A proven approach for resolving problems without losing the client’s trust
When Webb returned to Palmetto Engineering in 2018 after working in Wyoming and Montana, reconnecting with ElectriCom was one of his priorities.
“When I came back to Palmetto, one of the first relationships I tried to restore and get going again was certainly ElectriCom.”
Today, Webb maintains a short list of contractors he would trust to support nearly any project. ElectriCom remains at the top of that list.
The Value of a Proven Partner
Selecting a contractor based primarily on initial price can introduce costs that are not visible during the bidding process. Communication breakdowns, rework, schedule disruptions and incomplete documentation can quickly outweigh an apparent upfront savings. Webb believes a proven engineering-construction relationship delivers greater value over the life of the project.
“Working with a proven company is going to make or break the project much more than simply going with the low cost. A good contractor—especially one that works closely with the engineer—is going to take care of the client first.”
For Palmetto Engineering and ElectriCom, that value comes from direct communication, consistent processes and a shared willingness to take ownership. Their partnership allows the two teams to solve problems together—often before those problems reach the client.
Looking Ahead
As broadband projects become larger, faster and more technologically connected, coordination between engineering and construction will become increasingly important. Palmetto Engineering and ElectriCom continue to recommend one another, identify potential projects and explore opportunities to offer clients a more integrated path from planning through construction.
“There is a level of trust and integrity that comes from referrals and third-party verification. I think it just continues to get stronger, and we’re excited about where it’s headed.”
Nearly three decades after their first project together, the partnership remains grounded in the same principle that established it: doing what is right for the client and standing behind the work.